Is World Youth Day For Only Religious?

PRIZE LETTER
IT is the first time to write to Leadership, because I need some answers. I am deeply disappointed at to how the concluded WYD in Sydney, Australia was organized by the concerned in Uganda. The selection process was not at all satisfactory.

Information was sent to all Arch/dioceses  in Uganda to prepare the youth for the event, without a specific number of pilgrims pegged to it. The main requirement was sponsorship for the programme.

Our Archdiocesan Youth Office however, learnt with great disbelief that out of the nine applicants from Gulu, only three, who were even Religious were given visas. The real beneficiaries, the youths who rarely get such opportunities to attend Catholic gatherings to increase their faith, were left out. The Religious who are always getting the opportunities to travel abroad, were the ones who benefited.

No satisfying reason has been given for leaving youth out, yet they had painfully secured even sponsorship from various sources. I would like to know if this event is for the youth or other kind of people. If yes, then they should have been given the first priority and if not, then, I suggest that next time the type and quality of the youth required to participate should openly be stated so that those who are not needed do not waste resources and time.

Many of us are disappointed for having wasted time and money to travel up and down looking for passports and at the end, were left out. I request, either the National Youth Office or the Australian Embassy to clearly give us the reason as to why some youth were not given visas. Thanks a lot.

JOSEPH NYERO
Youth Coordinator,
Gulu Archdiocese.

Salutations to Leadership
WE the beneficiaries of Godspeed Peace-Anti-AIDS Project in Amuru District, northern Uganda, salute the staff of the Leadership Magazine for their daily hard work for us. Through you, we also salute the Catholic Church in China for its gift of booking an air ticket for Pope Benedict XVI to attend the Olympic Games, plus the already prepared pastoral and spiritual reception of the Chinese and foreign visitors during the games of August 2008.

All Popes from Peter to Benedict XVI were authorized by Jesus, the Prince of Peace and the only gateway to spread Christianity (Mt 16:13-20, 13: 31-32 and Lk 3:21-22). Thus, let us not turn deaf ears to Papal sermons, because such mascot events will propagate the mustard seeds of Christendom.

CHARLES TAILOR LANEBI
C/o. P. O. Box 450, Gulu.

Read Bible for better homilies
I WRITE in response Hilary Ahimbisibwe on ‘boring homilies’ in the July issue. Well, some homilists may bore the faithful, but I would like our faithful to know that reading the Bible especially the readings of the day on their own before Mass is very important as Catholics. One will internalize the text and when they listen to the preacher they are just doing revision to get new insights of what God is trying to speak to them.

Even if people go to other Sects for vibrant preaching, they should get to know that the Catholic Church remains one and Universal. Some people condemn the Church, but it is Holy by virtue of its founder Jesus Christ, except some members may not be as faithful. This makes the Church to have saints and sinners.

Harmonizing the homily in the way that others do it should not be an issue, but rather how one’s depth of faith in Christ as the founder of the Catholic Church.

BRO ROBERT NZOGHERA, BSJW
Fort-portal Diocese.

Cranes attitude under test
SCIENTIST Charles Darwin, once said “its not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” This thesis comes to the fore in relation to the Uganda Cranes chances of progressing in the South Africa 2010 World Cup qualifiers, after the departure of Coach Laslo Csaba. Placed third in Group 3 of the African qualifiers, the Cranes have  a good chance of qualifying to the next stage that may at least guarantee the side a birth in Angola for the African Cup of Nations.

The seven points accumulated so far, two adrift of leaders Benin, with a home game against the latter to follow in October, makes many nationals optimistic of the team’s chances. And this is where the sheer optimism should end for now and gauge whether Cranes can accommodate the changes that have happened in the past one month. The winning attitude that Csaba brought helped the side to such great performances.

It is now history that the Hungarian-German born parted ways with FUFA under controversial circumstances, to join Scottish side Hearts in the United Kingdom. So, as a court battle between Csaba and his former employers threatens to take off, the question remains on whether the players will not be affected by the change. We have already read about the views of the players and the majority seem to have been getting along.

They have different views. It is this kind of mixed reaction that might put the 2010 campaign in jeopardy. With a new coach coming in, there is need for positive attitude to changes that are currently happening.

LAMBERT RUSOKE
rlamptey2003@yahoo.com